Crosscutting-machine.



W..P. BOSWORTH. OROSSOUTTING MACHINE. Arrmonzon FILED APR.28, 1910.

WITNEEEEE- INVENTUR- M Tn; MORRIS PETERS :07, wAsl-mvzrmlvv D c,

Patented Mar .28,1911

W. P. BOSWORTH.

GROSSGUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION rmm APLZB, 1910.

Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET Z- Fig.4-

WITNESSES- flffwn W. P. BOSWORTH.

GROSSGUTTING MACHINE. I

APPLICATION FILED 3.22, 1910.

987,948, Patented Mar.28, 1911.

4- HEET 3.

Ar /9 N. Flg i -2 3/ WITNESSES- KWfM W 7m: NORRIS PETEkS 50., wasumnmn. D. c.

Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

4 BHEBTPSHEE'I' 4.

WENDELL P. BOSWORTH, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CROSSCUTTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2S, 1911.

Application filed. April 28, 1910. Serial No. 558,298.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVENDELL P. Boswon'rn, of Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crosscutting-h/Iachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for transversely severing an elongated body into a series of smaller bodies or sections, and

' has special reference to a machine for cutting heel logs into heel bodies, a heel log being an assemblage of heel lifts secured together side by side by paste or cement, and forming an elongated body which is heel shaped in cross section. By transversely severing or sub-dividing a heel log into sections of suitable thickness, the log is converted into a plurality of heel bodies for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes, the heel bodies being supplemented in the completed boots and shoes by top lifts attached to their outer sides.

The invention has for its object to provide a machine adapted to rapidly sever an elongated article such as a heel log into sections of the desired thickness.

The invention also has for its object to provide a machine for the purpose stated, adapted to reduce to the minimum the Waste of material involved by the severing or cross-cutting operations.

The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a cross-cutting machine embodying my invention.- Fig. 2 represents a top plan view of the same. F1 3 represents a section on line 33 of Fig. l and an elevation of the parts at the left of said line. Fig. 1 represents a section on line 1% of Fig. 1 looking toward the left. Fig. 5 represents a section on line 55 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 represents an end elevation of the machine. Fig. 7 represents a sectlon on l ne 7-7 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 represents a partial side elevation of the opposite side of the machine from that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 9 represents a section on line 99 of Flg. 8. Fig. 10 represents a fragmentary top plan view of parts shown in Fig. 9. Flg. 11 represents an end elevation showlng a differentembodiment of the invention so far as the cutting mechanism is concerned. Fig.

12 represents a sectional view of the outer end of a heel log and of a portion of the severing cutter entering the same.

Similar reference characters indicate the same or similar parts in all the figures.

The supporting frame of my machine comprises a base portion 12 and fixed bearings 13 supported thereby, said bearings rotatively supporting a work holder adapted to contain an elongated body such as a heel log 14 composed of a stack or assemblage of heel lifts cemented together. The work holder, as here shown, is composed of an outer end portion 15 j ournaled in two of the bearings 13, an inner end portion 16 journaled in the other bearing 18, each of said end portions having a flange 17, parallel rods or bars 18 attached to and connecting the said flanges, cross-bars 19 attached to and connecting the longitudinal bars 18 in pairs, and supporting guides 20 and 21 adapted to bear on opposite sides of the heel log, said guides being preferably adjustably connected with the crossbars 19, as shown in Fig. 4, so that they may be adapted to logs of different sizes. The guide 20 is flat and adapted to bear on the breast side of the heel log, while the guide 21 is *preferably recessed and adapted to bear on the opposite side of the heel log. Each of said guides is preferably connected with the cross-bars 19 which support it by means of screw-threaded studs 22 passing through the bars 19 and having nut-s 23 hearing on 0pposite sides of said bars and adapted to adjustably secure the guides to the bars. The outer end portion 15 of the work holder is formed to receive the outer end portions of the guides 20 and 21 and the heel log, the log being movable endwise in the holder, as hereinafter described, so that its outer end is projected step by step from the end portion 15 of the work holder, to be severed by a cutter located in close proximity to the outer end of the work holder. The work holder and the heel log are rotated during the cutting operation by suitable means such as a belt 24 running on a pulley 25 which may be an integral part of the end portion 15, as shown in Fig. 5. These guides 20 and 21 are portions of the work holder and ro-.

tate with it. They constitute the portions of the holder which grasp the work to insure its rotation with the holder; and since they conform to the shape of portions of the work, the latter being non-circular in cross section, the work cannot slip in the holder. Under no circumstances can the friction resulting from forcing the cutter 5325 hereinafter described in between the lifts, cause the work to stop rotating as long as the holder is being driven.

The outer end portion 15 of the work holder is provided with means for alternately clamping and releasing the heel log at a point close to the path of the moving cutter, hereinafter described, so that the log is firmly secured to the holder during the cutting operation, the clamping means being organized to automatically release the log and permit it tov be automatically fed forward, after each severance, by a feeding device which is moved step-by-step along the interior of the holder and bears on the inner end of the log. The said clamping and feeding devices are automatically operated by a mechanism which preferably includes a shaft 26 journaled in bearings 26 on the frame of the machine and rotated simultaneously with the work holder, but at considerable slower rate, by means hereinafter described, connections being provided between the said shaft and the clamping and feeding devices whereby the clamping and feeding devices are operated to alternately clamp and release the log and impart a step by-step movement to the log, each feeding movement taking place when the log is released.

The clamping mechanism, as here shown, includes a clamping shoe 2? which is mov ably engaged with the outer end portion 15 of the work holder in close proximity to the guide 21 and is located opposite the outer end portion of the guide 20, as shown in Fig. 5, said shoe having an inclined back 28.

29 represents a wedge piece which is interposed between the inclined back 28 and a seatformed on the interior of the end portion 15 of the work holder, said wedge piece being adapted when moved toward the left (Fig. to press the clamp 27 against the heel log and cause it to cooperate with the outer end portion with the guide 20 in tightly clamping the log. hen the wedge piece 29 is moved in the opposite direction the pressure of the clamp 27 on the log is released and the log is free to be moved forward. The wedge piece 29 is moved endwise to make the clamping shoe alternately operative and inoperative by the means next described.

30 represents a stud attached to the wedge piece and projecting outwardly through a slot 31 in the end portion 15 of the work holder, said stud having a trundle roll 33 and 8fl are rock shafts journaled in bearings on the frame and provided respectively with arms 35, 36. Each arm has an inclined face 38 arranged to bear on the roll and impart an endwise movement to said roll and to the wedge 29. Each of the arms is moved alternately toward and from the work holder by means hereinafter described, the arms being held simultaneously in their difierent positions so that one arm is held in close proximity to the holder while the other arm is more widely separated therefrom. The inclined face 38 of the arm is held in the path in which the roll 32 is revolved by the rotation of the work holder, and the roll is moved against said face and displaced thereby to impart an endwise movement to the wedge piece 29 in the direction required to cause the clamping shoe to engage the log. After a heel body has been severed from the log, the arm moved outwardly and the arm 36 is moved inwardly, so that its displacing face 38 is in the path of the roll 32 and moves the latter and the wedge piece in the direction required to release the pressure of the clamping shoe on the log. The arms 35, 36 are projected or moved inwardly by springs engaged with the rock shafts and their bearings and are retracted or moved outwardly by the combined action of notched collars 4-0, 4:0 (Figs. 9 and 10) attired to the shaft- 26, and hooked fingers ll, 4-2 attached respectively to the rock shafts 33, 34. Each collar L0 has a notch and each linger a hook 4P1- adapted to enter the notch of the corresponding collar. l l hen a hook enters a notch, the finger carrying the hook is depressed, and when the hook is out of the notch the dog is raised by the bearing of the hook on the periphery of the collar. Each rotation of the shaft 26, therefore, causes a depression of one of the fingers and an elevation of the other finger, these movements of the fingers being imparted tlnn'nugh the rock shafts to the arms and 36 and cansing the described movements of said arms toward and from the work holder. The notches 43 are out of alinement with each other so that when one finger is depressed the other is raised.

The log feeding mechanism comprises a follower 4.5 movable in the work holder said follower being carried by a rod L6 which passes through the tubular end portion l5 of the work holder, and is provided with a rack 47 the teeth of which are obliquely arranged.

48 represents an arm allixed to the shaft and provided with an oblique dog 4L9 which is caused to revolve or move in a circular path by the rotation of the shaft and is arranged to move across and in contact with a tooth of the rack 47 during each revolution. The oblique arrangementof the rack teeth and dog causes the movement of the dog across a rack tooth, to move the rod 4L6 and follower 45 endwise in the direction of the arrow (Fig. l). A step by-step feeding movement is thus imparted to the follower and heel log, this movement occurring while the pressure of the clamping shoe 2? is removed from the log.

50 represents a stop dog which is held by a spring 51 in yielding engagement with the rack 4.7, and prevents backward movement of the rod and follower.

The inner end of the log is preferably secured to the follower by set screws 51 in ears 52 on the follower, said screws bearing 011 opposite sides of the log as shown by Fig. 2. After each feed movement of the log, and while it is clamped in the work holder, the log is severed transversely by a rotating cutter, whose cutting edge is in a plane at right angles to the axis of the work holder, and is caused to move progressively toward said axis during the cutting operation, the cutter being in close proximity to the outer end of the work holder so that it severs the log close to the clamped portion thereof. The progressive movement of the cutting edge toward the axis of the work holder is relatively slow and the rotation of the work holder relatively rapid, the kerf formed by the cutter being formed entirely around the log and 'radually deepened until the log is severed.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 8, I show a cutter 53 which surrounds and is attached to the shaft 26, and has a cam shaped cutting edge which is caused by the rotation ofthe cutter to move progressively toward the axis of the work holder, the direction of rotation of the cutter being indicated by the arrow w and the direction of rotation of the work holder by the arrow y (Fig.

In Fig. 11 I show a circular cutter 53 which is affixed to a shaft 5st journaled in bearings in an arm 55 which is pivoted to swing on a shaft 56. In this embodiment of the invention the progressive movement of the cutting edge toward the axis of the work holder is caused by a bodily edgewise move ment of the cutter, the arm 55 being swung slowly toward the axis of the work holder during the cutting operation, and swung outwardly after the cut has been completed. To accomplish this the shaft 26 is provided with a disk 57 having a cam groove 58 which receives a trundle roll 59 on a rod 60 pivoted at 61 to the arm 55, the cam being formed to impart the described bodily movements to the cutter. The rotation of the cut ter is caused by a pulley 62 on the shaft 56, said pulley being driven by a belt 63 from a driving shaft (not shown) and connected by a belt 6% with a pulley 65 affixed to the cutter shaft 54. The cutting edge of the cutter is in each case preferably serrated, the cutter being a saw. To prevent the waste of material in saw-dust, which would be involved by the employment of a serrated cut-- ter, the cutting edge of which is of the usual thickness, that is, 'of substantially the thickness of the body portion of the cutter, 1 provide the outer side of the cutter with a beveled marginal face 53 which intersects the inner side of the cutter and forms a thin cutting edge the points of the teeth being practically knife-edged. The inner side of the cutter is flat from the center to the cutting edge. During the cutting operation the beveled face 53 deflects the section that is being severed, said section being bent outwardly at its margin and slightly dished while it is being formed, so that the kerf formed by the cutter is V shaped during the cutting operationand has no appreciable width at its bottom, as indicated by Fig. 12. I therefore sever a heel body from the log without appreciable waste in the form of saw-dust. This results in a marked saving of material in cutting up a leather heel log by a large number of cuts. This is due to the fact that the serrated edge which does the actual cutting is exceedingly thin. As soon as the cutter has penetrated sufficiently to bring the side faces below the bot-toms of the teeth in contact with the adjacent surfaces of leather, the cutter begins to push or pry the lifts apart. This, of course, results in considerable friction, butowing to the fact that the work, non-circular in cross section, is firmly grasped by similar shaped portions of the rotating holder, said friction cannot result in stopping rotation of the work. By thus eliminating waste of material I remove the chief objection heretofore experienced to the method of making heel bodies consisting in cementing a stack of lifts together to form a log, and then sawing the log into heel bodies, the said objection being the waste of material in forming the saw kerfs.

The shaft 26, whether connected directly with the cam shaped cutter as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8, or indirectly with an oscillating circular cutter as shown in Fig. 11, is rotated at a relatively slow rate to cause a sufficiently slow progressive movement. of the cutting ed e toward the axis of the relatively rapidly rotating work holder. The shaft 26 and the work holder may be driven from the same driving shaft, suitable speedreducing means being employed to cause a slow rotation of the shaft.

67 represents a pulley which is belted to the driving shaft and is mounted on the same shaft with a small gear 68 forming one terminal member of a train of speed reducing gearing, the other terminal member of said train being a larger gear 69 affixed to the shaft 26.

The shaft 26 may be rotated by hand if desired through a crank 7 0 attached to its outer end, the reducing gearing including the members 68 and 69 being either omitted or rendered inoperative. The member 68 of said reducing gearing may be connected with the pulley 6'? by a clutch at 71 (Fig. 2) one member of said clutch being movable to connect it with and disconnect it from the complemental member. The movable clutch member may be moved by a lever 72 located at the operators station and connected with said clutch member through a rod 73 and a pivoted lever 74.

lhe outer end portion of the guide 20 is adjustably supported opposite the clamping shoe 27 by screw-threaded stud 22 (Fig. having a nut 22* hearing on the interior of the work holder, the head of said stud bearing on the guide. The follower 45, which rotates with the holder and heel log, is pivotally connected with the nonrotating rod 46 at 45 5).

I claim:

1. A. crosscutting machine comprising a rotary work holder having an internal noncircular conformation, a rotary cutter, the cutting edge of which is in plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the cutter, and means for simultaneously rotating the holder and cutter, means being provided for causing a progressive movement of the cutting edge toward and from the axis of the cutter.

2. 1L crosscutting machine comprising a rotary work holder having an internal noncircular conformation, a rotary cutter, the cutting edge of which is in close proximity to the outer end of the holder and in a plane at right angles therewith, the outer side of the cutter having a marginal beveled face whereby the thickness of the cutting edge is reduced, the said beveled face acting to outwardly deflect the part severed by the cutter from the log and form a V shaped kerf, and means for simultaneously rotating theholder and cutter, means being provided for causing a progressive movement of the cutting edge toward and from the axis of the cutter.

it cross-cutting machine comprising a rotary worlr holder, a rotary cutter, the cutting edge of which is in a plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the cutter, clamping members carried by the holder and adapted to grasp and release the outer end portion of a log to be severed, means for simultaneously rotating the holder and. cutter, means being provided for causing a progressive movement of the cutting edge toward and from the axis of the cutter, and means for causing pressure of the clamping means upon said log during the cutting operation and for subsequently removing the clamping pressure.

4-. IL cross-cutting machine comprising a rotary work holder, a rotary cutter, the cutting edge of which in a plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the cutter, clamping members carried by the holder and adapted to grasp and release the outer oer/see end portion of a log to be severed, means for simultaneously rotating the holder and cutter, means being provided for causing a progressive movement of the cutting edge toward and from the axis of the cutter, means for causing pressure of the clamping means upon said leg during the cutting operation and for subsequently removing the clamping pressure, and means for feeding the log step-by-step while the clamping pressure is removed.

5. A cross-cutting machine comprising a rotary work holder, a rotary cutter, the cutting edge of which is in a plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the cutter, and means for simultaneously rotating the holder and cutter, the cutter being journaled in fixed bearings and provided with a cam shaped perimeter whereby the forward rotation of the cutter is caused to move its cutting edge progressively toward the axis of the holder.

(3. In a cross-cuttingmachine, an elongated rotary work holder comprising journaled end portions, longitudinal guides formed to support a log and guide it through the outer end portion of the holder, and means for adjusting said guides to the size of the log.

7. in a cross-cutting machine, an elongated rotary work holder comprising jou1' naled end portions, longitudinal rods rigidly connecting the same, cross-bars mounted on said rods, longitudinal guides formed to supporta log and guide it through the outer endportion of the holder, and means for :11) dj ustably securing said guides to said crossars.

8. rt cr rue-cutting machine comprising an elongated rotary work holder, longitudinal log guides connected therewith, a clamping shoe carried by the work holder and arranged to cooperate with one of said guides in grasping and releasing a log, means for rotating the holder and mechanism for alternately projecting and retracting said clamping shoe while the holder is rotating. i

9. A crosscutting machine comprising an elon 'ated rotary worlc holder having means for sup iorting and guiding a log, a clamping shoe carried by said holder, a wedge piece movable on the holder and bearing on the clamping shoe, said wedge piece having a stud projecting from the periphery of the holder, and means for reciprocating said stud and wedge piece to operate the clamp ing shoe.

10. A cross-cutting machine comprising an elongated rotary work holder having means for supporting and guiding a log, a

clamping shoe carried by said holder, a

e piece movable on the holder and hearing on the clamping shoe, said wedge piece having a stud projecting from the peripherv of the holder, oscillating displacing arms adapted to reciprocate the stud and wedge piece, and means for making said arms alternately operative.

11. A cross-cutting machine comprising an elongated rotary work holder having means for supporting and guiding a log, a clamping shoe carried by said holder, a wedge piece movable on the holder and hearing on the clamping shoe, said wedge piece having a stud projecting from the periphery of the holder, rock shafts journaled near the work holder, displacing arms carried by said rock shafts and adapted to cooperate as de scribed with the stud and Wedge piece in operating the clamp, and means for turning said rock shafts in opposite directions.

12. A crosscutting machine comprising an elongated rotary work holder having means for supporting and guiding a log, a clamping shoe carried by said holder, a wedge piece movable on the holder and bearing on the clamping shoe, said wedge piece having a stud projecting from the periphcry of the holder, rock shafts journaled near the work holder, displacing arms carried by said rock shafts and adapted to cooperate as described with the stud and wedge piece in operating the clamp, hooked fingers carried by the rock shafts, and a rotary operating shaft having notched collars cooperating with said fingers in turning the rock shafts in one direction and springs connected with the rock shaft-s to turn the same in the opposite direction.

13. A crosscutting machine comprising a rotary work holder having an internal noncircular conformation adapted internally to support and guide a heel log, a work-feeding follower moving in said holder, means for imparting a step-by-step forward movement to the follower, a log severing cutter, and means for simultaneously rotating the work holder and cutter.

14:. A cross-cutting machine comprising a rotary work holder adapted internally to support and guide a heel log, a work-feed ing follower moving in said holder, a rod supporting the follower and passing through the inner end of the work holder, said rod having a rack with oblique teeth, a dog movable across the rack to impart step-by-step movements thereto, a log-severing cutter and means for simultaneously rotating the work holder and cutter.

15. A cross-cutting machine comprising a rotary work holder having log guides and a log-clamping shoe, an operating shaft adacent to the holder, an intermediate mechanism between the said shaft and the clamping shoe whereby the rotation of the holder is caused to operate the said shoe.

16. A cross-cutting machine comprising a rotary work holder having log guides, a log-clamping shoe, and a log-feeding follower, an operating shaft adjacent to the holder, means operated by the rotatiop of the shaft whereby the follower is moved step-by-step, and intermediate mechanism between the said shaft and the clamping shoe whereby the rotation of the holder is caused to operate the said shoe.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WENDELL P. BOSWORTH.

Witnesses:

C. F. BROWN, P. WV. PEZZETTL Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. C. 

